Illinois Loess, Variations in Its Properties and Distribution: A Pedologic Interpretation (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Guy Donald Smith

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0265995469 ISBN 13: 9780265995464

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Explore how Illinois loess shapes soils over time and what that means for land use and management.

This study connects loess deposits, their thickness, and their chemical changes to the age and drainage of different landscapes. It shows how vegetation, erosion, and weathering interact to create distinct soil profiles.

The book explains how the amount of loess that sits above the ground influences soil texture and composition. It also discusses how carbonate content decreases with thinner deposits, and how leaching alters horizon chemistry. Profiles from Jasper and Tama silts illustrate how drainage and age affect eluviation, illuviation, and base saturation. The discussion also links vegetation and erosion to whether Prairie soils reach equilibrium with their environment, sometimes trending toward Planosols.

• How loess thickness and distance from bluffs relate to soil texture and chemistry
• How carbonate content and leaching shape horizon development
• Differences between Jasper and Tama silts and their drainage impact
• The role of vegetation and erosion in soil evolution and equilibrium

Ideal for readers of soil science, agronomy, and land management who want a practical view of loess soils and their long-term development.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0265995469
• ISBN 13: 9780265995464
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 58